The south coast of Tenerife in the proximities of the Dune in the years 70
El Medano was a delightful place on the coast, to early 60. A former fishing village with dock and a wide sandy beach that formed a unique landscape of the island of Tenerife.
At the time, Medano granadillero neighborhood was a small plot grid with large gaps around. The streets and central areas lacked paving, were dirt and sand; were organized by one of the existing beaches, acting as a point of arrival of the fishing boats. The original appears isolated hermitage near the access road which came from the interior of the island.
Today we show the images of that place then taken for a curious episode that starred the intrepid pilot of airplanes, D. Tomas Sanchez Spider, father of a friend who liked pleasure soar, as his true profession was medicine. During a competition would take some aerial photos of that part of the coast which are absolutely amazing island. The transformation has been so dramatic that the enclave is hardly unrecognizable, nowadays.
The enclave of fishermen along the beach and the small stone pier basalticAt the time, had not yet been built yet controversial Hotel El Medano. However, a more recent picture and appears next to the second characteristic of the core hotel resort in Los Valos.
The central space of the nucleus along the beach which was used as landing
Comparing with some existing images, the densification process and increased volumes has been devastating. Only some interventions, as the seaside promenade, have been able to appease the wrath minimally property action
In forty years, islands have experienced massive degradation process in which the coast has been occupied without any care. Thereby, radically privatized is the main value that gave rise to the tourism industry, the use of the coast to enjoy the sun and beach. With so many negative consequences to the future, on which action should be systematic and coordinated in the future if we want to maintain a competitive manner that productive resource. The grading of tourist space should focus on improving accessibility to the sea and the attenuation of the more visual disruptive which produced that mass uncontrolled.
The coastal district today Medano. Canary Aerial Photography
The Coastal Act of 1988 established a controversial mechanism for the protection of that strip of land between the land and sea. His flaw is that regulatory action was a precautionary basis only. Construction reservation between 20 and 100 meters, established from the seashore, was a good idea, which has then been subverted massively, thereby generating enormous criticism collective. A Coast transformative process, with the support of many government and public institutions and which has tried to continue the division between private operators speculative real estate and the ultimate benefit of the big chains. Just remember some examples such as the Hotel carob in Carboneras or coast of Playa Blanca Lanzarote to feel embarrassed.
The author of the images, Dr. Sanchez Spider, piloting his machine.
The contradiction is that the space landscape, which generated enormous wealth, should have been properly preserved with positive actions and consideration as collective public good. There should have been publicly Acting oriented institutional buying land and space with visual restoration interventions artificialization accept the process followed prior.
The collective commitment should be expressed demanding the return to society of the common good that is the coastal landscape, against any particular interest.
(Our thanks to Tomás Sánchez Peraza by the images supplied)
Reform Medano coastal walk. N3 Architects, 1996
What nostalgic memories! It's sad to see such outrageous speculative.
I could not agree more with you, Islands deterioration is latent look at we look, both the most populous and the less, the low “shame” of the public forces and property speculators has led to the destruction of the landscape and identity of our country. We can only put impetus to exploit this break APRA change things from here, that this does not happen again and try to amend the situation as possible.
These photographs are a document very interesting historical and geographical. Reflection by architect Federico Garcia Barba is also very successful. If you have a chance, I invite all those who wish to observe ancient images of Los Cristianos, in the municipality of Arona, where he has also been a similar situation… You can see old aerial photos in the Photo Library GRAFCAN.
I also recommend reading the following article, posted by D. Antonio Serrano Rodríguez, FUNDICOT President and Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at the Polytechnic University of Valencia:
http://fundicot.wordpress.com/2011/04/13/%C2%BFes-razonable-la-actual-politica-de-las-administraciones-publicas-para-nuestras-costas/
Someone sent me other pictures of Los Cristianos in the decade of the 60. In that case are taken dismounted and the perception of change experienced is truly amazing.
The transformation has been immense territory in just half a century.
I will try to post them here too soon.